Transmission lock for automobiles



July 7, 1936.

Filed June `4, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet l nii. A

nl: my

5 3 5 a r a xk/v4, @We P mw E W@ WITN55 HTTOR'NE'K July 7, 1936- w. HEMINGWAY, JR.. Er Al.. 2,046,379

TRANSMISSION LOCK FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed June 4, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 r 7j, f@ M /f/ y i W E g w w i. i, y

w T/YESS July 7, 1936 w. HEMINGWAY. JR.. ET AL. 2,046,379

TRANSMISSION LOCK FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed June 4, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 ff l July 7, 1936. w. HEMINGWAY, JR., ET A l. 2,046,379

TRANSMISSION LOCK "FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed June 4, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FZ5; E EL' E5 F l v r /L '5% E f3.5.

9? 6913106 9 lop@ w69 J3 95 prq. 25.

Patented `luly 7, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT orriczr.

TRANSMISSION LOCK FOR VAUTOMOBILES Application June 4, 1934, Serial N0. 728,936

18 Claims.

The present invention relates to transmission locks for automobiles, and more particularly to locks which prevent the gear-shifting or transmission l-ever from being moved when locked, to

any position wherein the car may be propelled by the motor forwardly and so driven away.

An object of the present invention is to provide the transmission or gear-shifting lever with an exterior transmission lever locking sleeve, movable axially of the said lever from an unlocked position to a locked position and vice versa, said sleeve, when in its locked position, being operative to hol-d the said lever sub-stantially rigid and immovable with respect to the housing in which said lever is fulcrumed.

A further object of this invention is to provide a locking member for the transmission lever of an automobile which may be operated to lock the said lever in its neutral position or in its reverse position and which cannot be operated to lock the said lever in the low gear position, nor in the intermediate gear position or in the high gear position, thus making it necessary to throw the transmission lever either to the neutral or to the reverse position before the transmission lever can be locked rigid with respect to its casing.

A further object of this invention is to provide a key controlled locking mechanism which, when the transmission lever is locked thereby with the said lever in its neutra or its reverse position, cannot be moved therefromy without iirst unlocking the locking mechanism by the use of a key.

A further object of this invention is to provide a transmission lever locking mechanism which is operative to lock the transmission lever either in neutral or reverse position and when so locked, permits the movement of the transmission lever from neutral position to reverse position and from reverse position to neutral position, but is also operative to prevent the movement of the said lever into any position in which the car may be propelled forwardly by the 45 motor.

A further'object of this invention. is to provide a transmission lever with a locking mechanism therefor which may be used as a replacement unit for cars provided with any of the standard gear shifts, to install which, it is merely necessary to remove the cap of the housing in which the standard trans-mission lever is mounted, remove the transmission lever therefrom, and to replace it with a new transmission lever provided with the locking mechanism disclosed herein.

A further object of this invention is to provide a construction wherein the locking of the transmission lever concomitantly effects the breaking of the ignition system of the automobile and.-

Vholds the said circuit open so long as the said lever is locked, and which automatically closes the ignition circuit immediately the lever is unlocked, and so long as the said lever is unlocked, insofar as this automatic circuit-breaker is concerned, it lbeing recognized that if the circuit be broken at some other place than at the switch Vcontrolled by the transmission lever lock, this circuit Vbreaker cannot alone break or Vcomplete the ignition circuit if broken elsewhere.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the specication and claims below.

In the drawings forming a part oi thisspecication and wherein the same reference characters are used throughout the various views Vto l still in its neutra f position but with the mechanism unlocked. Y

Fig. 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the key operated lock taken at right angles to the position shown in Fig. 1 and with the transmission lever sleeve in unlocked position.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view like Fig..4 except that the said sleeve is in locked position. Y Y

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but withthe lever locked in reverse position. Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view on the line 'l-l of Fig. 1, but on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the ring member shown Y in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 shows the keeper member with Ythe transmission lever locked therein at neutral.

Y Fig. 10 is a viewV similar to Fig. 9 except that the transmission lever is not locked, and is free to be thrown to any of its gearY changing positions. Y

Fig. llis atop plan view of the keeper mem-Y ber showing in dot-and-dash lines the ve major positions of thetransmission lever of a standard transmission, the full path of the axis ofthe said lever being diagrammatically Shown.A Y

Fig'.r 12 is a similar view showing the transmission lever in reverse'position, andV unlocked.

Fig.r13 is a view similar to Fig.V 12`but with the transmission lever locked in reverse position.

n Fig. 171A illustrates aY modified form of Sleeve keeper openingrwhich permits the transmission Vlo ' 4 gearV driving positions. Y H c `Y l Fig. 15 is a fragmentary plan view of the gear.-

lever, whenlocked. to be Yshifted from the reverse gear position to the-neutral position or from the neutral position to the reverse gear position, but which is operative to prevent Vthe shifting of the transmission lever, whenrlocked,

into .low or into intermediate or into .high-` v shifting members which are actuated by thefor- `ward and rearward movement of the transmission lever, and the notched Ybar employed forV preventing such movementwhen the lever isin.- the neutral position.

YYFig. 16 is a Yslee elevational view oftheiecha; nism shown in Fig. 15 with the'greater portion of Vthe left hand gear-shifting member and its support broken away to VAshow the said notch by motion' forwardly or rearwardly as Ylong as the l Vto Y Yto Y msm.

which the transmission YleverV is prevented from said lever is in neutral position.'` i

Fig. 17 is a vertically central sectional View Yon the line I'I-II ofV Figure 18, of an automatic circuit breaker for the ignition '.circuit, operative to automatically break and make the ignition circuit of the* automobile when the tranmission lever is respectively locked and unlocked, the

Y scalebeing larger thanV in Fig'sil, 2 and 6.

Y Fig. 18 is a front elevational view ofthe structure shownV in Fig. 17 but with the cap 'cross-sec# tioned to better show the structure of the mecha-` Flg 19 is plan vlewad Fig. x:zegels a. vertical sectional view Vof a modified constructionVV of the".Y Capi- Fig-Q21 shows, in verticalcross-jsection, a fur# ther modification ofrthelinvention. c K jFigs. Y22V to 25 are, in general, diagrammatic views showingr the path in which the transmis-V sion leverjshown in Fig. 21. may.; move when lockedV and unlocked, in a Vthree forwardspeed transmission; .and Y Y `vFigs. 26 to V29 arehalso" diagrammatic views showing'the construction of Fig. 21 applied to a transmission having fourV forward speeds.VV In thedrawings there areY shownonly vthose parts of the gear transmission `casingand the shifting members mounted therein as are neces- Y sary for an understanding ofthe present in-` vention. The transmission casing I may' be of any suitable design Vand.V the coveror closure 2 may be of vstandard construction. In the cover are mounted two gear shifting elements 3 and, 4

respectively secured to shafts and 6 which,V

shaftsare longitudinally Vslidable in bearings 'I inY lugs or ribs 8-9 projectin'gffrom the interior surface of the cover 2.

ments 3x-4f-are respectively provided with opfposedrecesses Ill-II 'on' sides adjacent each otherfor thereception ofthe lower end or toe Y '5 I2V`o-f the transmission lever I3 which is manipu- G 176, is a rigid barel having end Yflanges fI'I-I'I respectively rigidly secured to the adjacentsides ofthe lugs or ribs 234-2?,` the upper edge of said The gear shifting ele! bar I6 being provided with a notch I8 into which the lowerend ortoe I2 of the transmission lever I3 smoothly fits when the'lever Ais *inV neutral position and which is operative to prevent any forward or rearwardmovement of the trans-` mission lever I3 until said toe has been movedV laterally clear of said notch and into one or the Y other of the recessesY I0 or II of the gear shifting elements 3 and 4. Y

This bar I6 is not of itself novel and mayV be replaced with any other standard construction mission lever is constrained to l,move in a substantially H-shaped path-in the gear changing' operations andv the neutral position vis at the middle of the horizontal line of the letter H.

Y by means of which Vthe lower end of the trans-` I The cover 2 is preferably provided with an in- Y tegral housingor casing I9 which preferably ta-i pers upwardly and terminates in an externally kthreaded head 20 providing ashoulder 2I.Y A

cap 22 is threaded over said head. The head- 281s provided with an axial passge 23-24--25 therethrough, the upper end 23 being cylindrical and of substantially largendiameter than thecylindrical opening' 25 at the lower end thereof. Between these cylindrical sections is an inter'- mediate section 24,` theY surfacev ofY whichV is spherically concave to form the seat or fulcrum for the transmission lever I3. The cap 22 hasa relatively large axial opening'r26 therethrough andinto its upper part is fitted a keeper member 21', the V'under inner Vsurface 28 of which is sphericallyY concave and concentric with lthe cen-i.

terof the saidspherical surface 24 forming thev fulcrumof the transmission lever. l Extending through thekeeper member is an opening 29 'of irregular shapefor the 'free passage therethrough of the transmission lever I3 and which will be de-v Y' scribed more fully below.Y

Clampe'd betweenthe lowercircular edge VV'of the keeper member 21 and the upper end of the head 28 is a ring-shaped member 30,'shown on an enlarged scale in Figs. 'l and `8, and provided with a depending neck 3l terminating ina disk-like Y head 3I extending downwardly from the inner edge thereof, andwith a lug 32 extending lip- Wardly fromthe inner edge of lsaid ring'. The

ably are integral withthering 3and areY respectivelybent downwardly and upwardly lfrom the plane of the ring. They are preferably posi`A tioned on the ring 90 fro-m each other. The ln` ner wall of the opening Vthrough the ring mayV and preferably is tapered divergingly downwardly to insure ample clearance for the movement of the dish-shaped f washer 33 slidingly fitting around the transmission lever. Thewasher 33Y Vis provided with a spherically'convex uppersurlface which is held against'the surface 28 of the keeper 2'I by a compressed coiled spring 34, theV ends of whichare respectively seated on the inner surface ofthe washer 33 and the ball 35 of theV transmission lever which in turn is thus held seatedin the sphericalsurface or ful'crum 24..

channels 36 and 37 on' diametrically Vopposite sidesthereof, into oneSS, of which is tted' the.; f1 disk-likehead 3| and. into the other 31, 'ofwhich'f is fitted a cylindrical pin'38 of substantially the Width'of theslot 31. The axes ofthe head 3|v spherical surface of the ball 35 (see Fig-'7).V The lower narrow edge of theY keeper member 2'IY is Vand of the cylindrical pin 38 are in alinement with Aeach other and with the center of the l The ball 35 is preferably provided with vertical@ The cap 22 is also provided with a cylindrical hole l0-therethrough so positioned that when the cap is properly seated on the head 25 with the flange iii of the skirt lli clamped between the edge of the cap and the seat or shoulder 2i Yand with the ring-shaped member 59 clampedbetween the top of the head 25 and the keeper member El, a hardened steel pin square in cross-section, maybe tightly driven into said hole G5 with Va flat side thereof lying against the outer cylindrical surface of the keeper member 2l. When the sharp lower end of the said pin 65 reaches the screwthreads on the head Eil, it cuts a keyway for the pin in and through the screwthreads, thereby making it impossible to remove the cap or to turn it except by drilling out the hardened steel pin d?, which is, in fact, a difficult operation, requiring considerable time.

- The housing i9 is of ordinary cast iron construction and by drilling a hole therethrough, a thief may insert a rod or tool through the opening so made and push the gear-shifting element (3 or 4) which is not locked, into high or intermediate speed position. Ii the transmission lever be locked in neutral he may start the motor and drive the car away even though the transmission lever be locked. r.The skirt il is to protect against such mischievous practices. The skirt is of hard steel, its upper flange Qi is tightly clamped between the housing 22 and the cap and the latter is substantially irrernovable.

Its lower ange lies at on the door or the car.

The upper end of the transmission lever i3 is preferably provided with a cylindrical section i3 terminating in a section dit, square or polygonal in cross-section, over which is tted a generally cylindrical member l5 having a longitudinal bore therethrough, the lower end 55 of said bore being cylindrical and tting the cylindrical section i3 of the transmission lever and having a squared or polygonal opening di tting theV polygonal end 45 of the transmission lever.

. Above the polygonal opening fil is a Vcylindrical counterbore for the reception of the head of a screw Q3 and a washer i5 by which the member 45 is immovably secured to the upper end of the transmission lever i3. The counterbore leads into a larger cylindrical chamber 5d for the reception of a lock cylinder 5l which, generally speaking, may be of anyv suitable construction so long as it provides an inner cylinder 52 adapted to be turned by the key 53 and the inner cylinder is provided with an eccentric'pin 54 for the retraction ci atransverse locking plunger 55, preferably squared or rectangular cross-section, seated in a slot milled across the bottom of the outer cylindrical casing 52, and into which the pin 555i extends. The said slot is closed by a plate 55 operative to retain the bolt or plunger 55 Within the said slot.

The bolt or plunger 55 is provided with a notch or recess 5l providing a shoulder or abutment against which the eccentric pin pressesY to retract the bolt into the cylinder against the outward pressure of a relatively light 58 when the key is inserted and the inner cylinder 52v is rotated for the purpose of unlocking the transmission lever.

' The lower end of the generally cylindrical member 5 is provided with one or more longitudinal grooves 58 and over said grooved lower end is fitted a slidable member which is slitted longitudinally to form key strips 6l Vwhich :lit

into the grooves 59. This construction permits thev member 6D to slide longitudinally of the member 45 but prevents any rotational movement of the members with respect to each other. The bottom 55 of the member 56 is provided with aA hole for the free passage therethrough of the transmission lever I3 and extending between said bottom 55` and a shoulder 52 on said lever I3 is a coiled compression spring 63 to normally hold said member 59, and the parts rigid therewith, in their uppermost positions with the upper end of the member 5i) held rmly against a shoulder 513 on the outer surface of the member i5. A pin 55 in the outer cylinder 5l of the lock projects into a cooperating slot 65 in the inner cylinder 52 to retain the said inner cylinder within the-outer cylinder or casing, and to permit of a limited rotatio-n of the inner cylinder. A set screw 6l mounted in the upper end of the member 45 and projecting into an appro-priate opening 55 of the outer casing 56 iiX- edly retains the lock cylinder within the upper end of the generally cylindrical member ll5.

Fitting tightly over the slidable member 60 and rigi-dly secured thereto as by spot-welding, is the upper end of the transmission-lever locking sleeve 69 which, extending downwardly, over the transmission lever I3 is provided at its lower end with a ring 'i6 within the sleeve 69 and rigid therewith and slidingly tting the outer surface of the transmission lever i3. Fitted over the lower end of the tube or sleeve 69 is rigidly secured a circular member having a substantially concave spherical under surface ll to which reference will again be made below.

The upper endV ofthe generally cylindrical member 155 is provided with a socket l2 which may be angularly disposed rearwardly and upwardly and in which is rigidly secured the upper reach or extension i3 of the transmission rod B3. terminating in the usual knobv or handle.

To the upper end of the transmission level locking sleeveV Ylill is secured -a cap 'Hl with an opening in the top thereof for the passage therethrough of the upper cylindrical end of the member 45 and this cap is also rigidly secured to the said sleeve 65, as by spot'welding.

Secured to the outer surface of the skirt 4l is a bracket l5 extending above the skirt and lying close to the outer surface of the cap 22 and on the upper end of this bracket is secured a sheet of insulating material 'F6 to which in turn is secured two metallic'staticnary contact members 'H having their inner edges parallel and spaced from each other, and provided at their lower ends respectively with the bindingV screws i3- i8 b y means of which they'may be connected to the ignition circuit of the car.Y

Also secured to the bracket is a bridge memberv'ig secured tothe upper end of the bracket 'l5 rigidly in any suitable manner, and providing two upright supports 8ll--8, the upper ends of which are rigidly connected together bythe web 5l unitary therewith. Pivotally mounted on trunnions 624-32 vfitting into alined holes in the uprights Eil-8i! respectively is a movable contact plate 83 having an'ample hole 8! therethrough, closed at its inner end by a strip 85 of insulatingV material secured thereto and having the movable contact metallic point 86 rivetedV thereto. The riveted end of the movable point 85 is substantially at the center of the hole 34 and well clear of the plate 83. The movable contactpoint BB is tapered and is in registrationV with the space between the station-ary contact plates 11e-11. A compression spring 81, is also seated in the hole 84 and surrounds the saidriv- Y eted end of the movable contact point 86, but does'not make contacttherewith. One end of said Vcompression spring 81 Vpresses against said.V

insulating strip 85 and the other end presses against the webl and. surrounds a lug in the web 8|. 'Ihis spring 81 normally holds the contact point 86 in the slot between the plates 'H1-11 and in contact therewith to close the circuit through said point 86. From the upper edge `of the Vmovableponi-.act plate 83 extends an operating lever 88, incline-d upwardly over the upper edge of the cap 22 and under the circularV Y member 12 secured'to the lower end ofthe transp Y mission rod locking sleeve 69. Y

rI'his circuit breaker may be provided with a suitable` coverSQ rigidly secured to theV bracket 15 Yin any suitablemanner and providing an f opening 99 Vfor the passage therethrough of theV lever V89 and a passage :9| therethrough ofthe e leads 92--92 of the ignition circuit.

From the foregoing descriptionzit willv now'be plain that the tension'of the spring 63 pressing upwardly-against the bottom 60T of the slidable member normally holds said *,slidable memberY a 7 9@ and Ythe' sleeve .'89, Vthe Ycap 14, the circular member 1| and vthe ring 10, all unitary therewith, in their uppermost positions shown in Fig.

2'with the lower end of the locking tube or sleeve Y 69 above and clear ofthe "opening 29 in the keeper member 21 so long as the bolt orplunger 55 is 'Y retained within the locked outercylinder 5| by the Yslidablememlmer 6I).v When,however, the

-transmissionV lever locking sleeve 69 is depressedV to its lower position,'jas by m-anually pressing downwardly on the lip or plate 93 projecting Voutwardly laterally from the cap 14 or by pressing with the'foot downwardly on 'the Ycircular member 1|,1the plunger or bolt 55 will snap` outward- Vly. over the upper end of the slidable member 60 and the said parts, as a unit, will be locked in theirlowermost position withthe lower end of the transmission locking tube'or sleeve 69'well within the opening `29 of the keeper member 21.*. In coming to this position the under surface 1| Vof the vcircular member 1I will have engaged and depressed the lever 88 to move the movable metal compact point 86 clear of the plates 11 to the ykey 53 is inserted within the inner cylinder 5; Y Y war-dly from overthe edge ofthe sliding member.

break the ignition circuit. The parts so locked together in theirY lowermost position is plainly shown in Fig.` 1 `and in thisV position they will remain locked bythe bolt'55V so long as and until 52 Yand is turned towithdraw said bolt 55Y in- When, however,.the key 53-is so Vturned Vand the :bolt`55 is retracted, the compression spring 63 will immediately lift Vthe said members to their uppermost position, shown in Fig. 2, and the compression spring 91 of the'circuit breaker will Y operate to move the contact point 86 back into engagement with the plates 11 to close the circuit.

Y VWhen the saidlocking` sleeve Y69 and its cap 14 are in the upper position shown in Fig. 4, the opening 14 therethrough give accessrtoV the set Y screw 61 which retains thecylinder 5| fin the member 45, but when theV said sleeve and its cap are in their lower locked position, theY hole 14 l is out of alinement'with'V the screw 61 and the 'latter is covered by the sleeve. Y This vinsures against'theremoval of the locking Vcylinder 5| so Vlongasthe locking sleeve 69 kis in its lower lockedV position.` Y f sitions 95 and 91. n

f position.

InVFigs. 9 to 13 are Yshown'the keepermemberl" or plate 21, the opening 29 therethrough and the path through whichthe axis-of the transmission Vl lever moves in the operation of shifting'the vgears of a standard five-position transmission, Yto wit,

neutral, reverse and lthree forward drive` positions. VThus inFig'.` 10,- the lever I3 is in neutral position 94 and is unlocked. The opening 29 isrofV a size and. shape to permit'theV lever rto be readily moved frem the said neutra positionto the four driving positionsV diagrammatically shown in Fig. 1'1. Thus the axis of the lever e I3 may be moved from neutral position .94,-f'

throughthe intermediate position 95,to"1ow,l i

gear position 96. As the speed of the car increases, the lever may thereafter be moved from the low gear position96, back through positions 95 and 94, and through the second inter-l mediate position 91-into thefsecond gear position 98 and thencerearwardly through inter-V mediate position 91 to high gear position 99.Y

Or, on the yother hand, the transmission lever may be moved from the` neutrall position,

through intermediate position 95 into reverse l is locked andcannot be moved into any other-VH position. It cannot be moved laterally Vto the intermediate positions 95 or 91 by reason'rof theV engagement of the sleeve 69 with the opposite sides of Vthe opening 29. It cannot'be moved` in neutral Y y forwardly or rearwardly because in neutral 1 position the toe |2.of theV transmission lever I3 is Vin the notchV I8 Yofthe rigid Vbar Yas is clearly shown in Figs. 15 and 16.V

Nor can said transmissionV lever be locked in.' the low gear" position 96- nor in the secondY gear position 98, nor in the high gear position 99 for in those positions the lever |3 is close to the wall of the opening 29, and the space betweenn thelever I3 and the wall of the opening 29 is insufficient to permit YofY the insertion end of the Vsleeve 69 therein.

In parking aY car, it is usual the transmission lever into .either the neutral or into reverse positioirand in the embodiment of vthis invention, shown in Figs. 9 to 13,l

' the opening 29 is of a shape to provide for the locking'of the transmission lever I3 in reverse end of the locking sleeve 69 when-the'transmi's-Y sion lever I3 is in the reverse.position.' In Fig. 12 Vthe transmission lever is ,shownV ing Y Yto applying brakes, lock the ignition and then either throw of, the 'lower The `opening 29 is Vprovided with a bay or recess 29a for the reception of the-lower Y reverse Aposition, IIJII.V In this position, Ythe".V

transmission ylocking sleeve"69, when 1 depressed, will substantially t against the walls-' of the bay 29apas shown in Fig. i3.. -From `this positionA the lever I3V cannot 'be moved,V

until the key 53 has been operated to release the transmission leverV locking sleeve from its depressed position. VIt Vwill be plain thatV from the position |09 the transmission lever must flrstbe moved rearwardly to thepositionl 95. Such motionis prevented, however, by theengagement of,` the sleeve or tube 69with the portion 291:of-theV wall of the opening 29. The'lever |3 cannot be4 e Y drawn straight back rearwardlyuntil Vthe sleeve ;I 1

55 'the locking sleeve 69 in the manner above de- 69 has been unlocked 1 opening 29.

and raised clear of the Thus this invention provides a `lock for the transmission lever which holds said lever rigid and immovable with respect to its housing, in either the neutral or in the reverse position, but from which locked position it cannot be moved until the locking sleeve 69 can rise, after the locking cylinder 52 has been operated by a key to retract the bolt 55. Y

In Fig. 14 is shown a modification wherein the lever I3 may belocked when in either neutral or in reverse position and Ywhen so locked may be moved from neutral to reverse position or, conversely, from reverse to neutral position, without raising the transmission rod locking sleeve 69 out of the keeper opening 29. This is accomplished by providing the opening 29 with a plane surface 2S parallel to the path IGS-95 of the transmission lever I3 and by locating the abutment portion 29D to the rear of the position shown in Figures 9 to 13 suicent to permit the said lever I3 to move to the intermediate position 95 when the locking sleeve or tube 59 is locked in its depressed position in the opening 29. This permits one to move the transmission lever I3 when the locking sleeve 69 is locked in depressed position to move from the neutral position 94 through intermediate position 95 to reverse position IDiLand from said reverse position .back to neutral position, but thel abutment Vportion 29b prevents the movement of the lever from the intermediate position 95 into the low gear position 93.

' 'In both these embodiments of this invention, when the transmission lever has once been locked Vby depressing the locking sleeve @9 into the opening 29, ,one is unable, 'without unlocking the locking' cylinder 52, to move the transmission lever into any of the positions in which the car may be propelled by the motor'iorwardly.

It is almost impossible to push a car, even rearwardly, when the gears are in reverse. In the case of an emergency, it is of advantage to be able to shift the transmission lever' from reverse into neutral in order to move the car forwardly or rearwardly as may be necessary, even though the car cannot be driven forwardly under its own power, and the modification shown Figure 14 permits this to be done.

The purpose of the ring with its downturned disk-like head 3| and its upturned lug 32, will now be apparent. The keeper member 2? must be accurately positioned on the head 20 to cooperate with the transmission lever I3 and scribed.

In assembling the device, after the ball has been properly placed upon the seat or fulcrum 24 with the Cylindrical pin 38 iitted into its slot 3| in the ball 35, the ring-like member 3S is placed on the top of the head 2! with the disk-like head 3| and the neck 3 I in the vertical slo't 36 in the ball 35 with the lug 32 risingirom the outer periphery of the ring 30. 'I'hen the keeper member 2l, provided with the accurately positioned notch 39, is placed upon the ring 39 with the lug 32 in the notch 39. The cap 22 may the keeper member 21 cannot be turned frictionally with the cap 22 or for anyY other reason because of the engagement of the lug 32 withthe notch 39. In this way the keeper member 2'| is positioned and maintained at all times in correct relationship with theV lever |3, and the opening 23 `will be maintained in virtual registration with the path whichthe lever I3 is constrained Vto follow in shifting the gears ofthe transmission.

SinceV the ring-shaped member 39 is fixed in its relationship to the head and since the transmission lever i3, when unlocked, must be moved from the intermediate positions, 95 and 91 forwardly and rearwardly throughra substantial angie with respect thereto in operating the transmission, the neck 3| is provided between the head 3| and the ring 30 to afford a clearance sufficient toY permit'of the corresponding movement of the side walls of the slot with respect to such head, as is clearly shown in Fig. 1.

The cap |03 should be marked to be turned to a predetermined position wherein the opening |04 would be in proper registration with the path through which that portion of the lever I3, passing therethrough, travels in moving to the various gear shifting positions.

In Figs. 19 and 20, the keeper member and the cap are shown combined as a unit construction. The keeper opening |64 in the cap |03 may be of the same shape as that shown in Figs. 9 to 14 inclusive. If the head |93 of the cap .|93 is the same distance from the center of the ball 35 that the keeper member' 28 of the previous modiiications was, and is provided with a spherical surface 28' like the under surface 28 of the keeper member 27|, this cap |93 could be substituted for the cap 22 in the previously described constructions, with the ring-shaped member 39 omitted. The position which the cap 22 must be turned to register' the keeper opening |94 with the locking sleeve 69 in the neutral and "reverse positionsshould be marked on the cap and housing in any suitable manner.

In all the constructions previously described herein,` the end of the transmission lever locking sleeve 69 is cylindrical andthe opening in the "cupshaped member 33 and the compression spring 3Q are the same as previously described.

The cap |95 is like the cap |03 previouslydescribed,jexcept that the opening |96 is substantially cylindrical, and when the lever is in neutrai position, its axis is coincident with the axis of the transmission lever. The diameter of the opening |39 is such that when the transmission lever I3 is not locked it may be freely moved in the H-shaped pathto any of its lve main positions,.as shown in Fig. `22. In the previously described po-sitions 96, 98, 99 and |99, the transmission lever |3 will lie close to the wall of the opening |96 with which the cap |05 is provided, as is indicated in Fig. 22.

The lower end Iii? of the transmission locking sleeve or tube 39 is shaped to provide three cylindrical surfaces, the radii of which are substantially the same as the radius of the circular opening me, it being understood that the necessary clearances should be provided in actual construction. Thusvthe axis of thercylindrical surface 7 5 `mission lever I3V is in the neutralf position 94 n vas shown in Fig.-23.V The axis of the surface |01b is coincident with the axisof the hole or opening |06 when thejtransmission lever I3 is in the VVfirst intermediate position 95 shown in Figure ZeiV and the axis of the cylindrical section |01c is coincident with theaxis of the opening |06 when the transmission lever I3 is in the reverse position l|00 in Fig. 25.

'I'hese Vsurfaces Amay be the locking'sleeve |59; Y Y Y Y It follows, thereforeythat'the lower end |01 of the isleeve 99 may beinserted-intoand locked 1 in circular opening |06 when the lever I3 is in` its neutral position'as shown-in Fig. 23 or when it 'is its reverse position as shown in Fig. 25, and that the transmission'lever with the end |01 in theopening |00 may be moved from the neutral position 94 to the first intermediate Vvposition 95. and thence pushed forwardly in the reverse position |00 and conversely, from position,

|00, through position 95 to position 94.LV In other wordsVthe transmissionlever I3 maybe moved exactly as lhas beendescribed in connection with the movement shown in Fig. 14. Y

rBut it may not Vbe moved from tionV 91 by reason of the engagement of thesur cfa face |01@ with the Wall `of the opening |'06and when the transmissionV lever is in the rst intermediate position`95, it cannot be moved therefrom back into. the Vlow'gear position 96,by reason of the engagementof the surface |01b withrthe wall of the opening |09 as shown Vin Fig,V 24. `NorY can the end |01 of the Vsleeverbe depressed into the opening |06 Yin any forward driving position 96, 98 or 99 of the transmission lever for in such positions some portion or part of the lower end of the sleeve 69 will Vnot be inA alinernent with the hole or opening|06 but will'engage'the top of the capand prevent the ksleeve 69 from Ybeing dekpressedto itslo'wermost position. 1 p Y The formrof the invention shown in'Figs. 21 Yto l 25 isrwell adapted for'us'e in a transmission h aving four forward speeds. In this type of transmission .there is` a fthird intermediate position |0| and a very'low slow speed starting position |02 Vplainly shown in Fig. 26. The otherrthreefor- Ward gear positions correspond to Ythepositions neutra through the first intermediaterA position V95 and on--to the third intermediate position |0| and thence to Vloe drawn back'to the low speed posi- Y Y Ytion ||l2v The lower endV |01' of'the'leverp69'ris Y .correspondingly larger than the lower lend |01.' lof the previously described modification. In Figure Y26 the six essential positions of thetransmis-` sion lever I3 are indicated and when the said Y transmissionlever is in the very low gear position l|I!2its outer'surface is close to the wall of VthecircularV opening |06 as is clearlyshown in Y1ig-26. The lower end |01 in this construction isprovided with three substantially cylindrical .t surfaces, to wit, the surface |012" Vsubstantially co-A y incidentwith the wall of the opening |06 when the lever |3is in the neutral position shown in Y VVreadily turned in a I Y lathe orrmilled through ie sleeve 69 and intof the sleeve V10 rigidly'secured to the lower Vend of Y theV fneutralV `position94 Vinto the second intermediate posij s radius of the opening 4and*embodiments of our invention herein shownH Y and described, there are present a gearrrshifting Y, Y'

t lever and a mounting in which said lever is'ful# Ywardly driving positions (in therarrangement position 94 Y locking devicercomprises two main elements, a

Fig.2'1'; the substantialfcylindrical surface |019 the center of which is` coincident with'the center ofthe opening |06 when the transmission lever I3 is in the frst intermediate position 95,-and I thezsubstantially cylindrical surface |016' the axis f of which is coincident withv Vthe axis ofthe open- Ying |06' when the transmission lever I3 is inthe reverse position |00. When the lower end "I 01V' Vvf of the transmission `lever locking sleeve 69 vis Y O within the opening |06", the lever I3may-be freel lymoved back and forth by and between the reverse Vposition |00and the neutral position 94 through the first intermediate position 95 Vbut in no other direction. VThe' surface |011" prevents any movement of the lever toward the second'in- Y termediate position 91 and, therefore, preventsk theV lever from Vbeing moved into either of the driving positions 98 or 99 and the surface' |011y prevents the transmission Ylever I3 from being I y Y moved fromthe first intermediate positionY 95 into 2 Ythe forwardly driving position 96, or frombeing moved towardthethird intermediatel positionA I0| j and consequently prevents'the lever from being thrown into anyv forwardly 'driving position of the 2' which extends into the path of the cutter von a Y curve, the radius of which is the same as the K f infwhich the sleeve isto be' inserted. f f K' The advantages of making the lowerend ofthe lever 69 with the three cylindrical surfaces above described and of providing the cap with a sub'- stantially'cylindrical opening are that the sur'- faces are easily formed on the lower end of thev to f Y sleeve and cutting away that portion of 4the sleeve I sleeve and the cap doesnot haveto beturned to any definite position.

It is to beobserved that in all the Avarious forms y crumed to normally move into neutral and into shown inFigs. 21, 26 to 29, there are four for-` Y"vvarcly driving positions) that the leverlocklngfV device comprises two parts, namely, thej locking able to all normal gear shifting vpositionswvhen I the locking member isV unlocked;4 that the lever movable elementand a stationary element, oneof 6 which Vis provided with an opening and the other of which comprisesa member adaptedfor rela- Y Y more specifically into and out of the space beis mounted'on said lever andthatthe other is `tive movement into and'out of the opening andiV I.

mounted on said housing; that when the movable 'Y Vmember is locked, itis Yin locking engagementji` l 'with respect to the lever, that is to say, it prevents the movement of the lever into certain of its normal operating positions; that in unlocked positions, the movable member is in alinement with the space between the lever and the walls of the opening and may be inserted therein when the lever is in two positions, to wit, neutra position and reverse position and is out of alinement with said space and is non-insertable into said space when unlocked and the lever is in any of the three (or four, as in Figs. 21, 26 to 29) forwardly driving positions; that when unlocked, one of said locking elements projects into the path of the movement of the other element and prevents the movable element from being movedY into its locked position when and so long as the transmission lever is in any forwardly driving position; that when the locking member element is in its locked position and the lever is in its neutral position, the locking member substantially abuts against the wall of said opening in the direction in which the lever is movable from neutral position into any forwardly driving position and thus prevents the shifting of the gearing into any forwardly driving position; and that in the modification shown in Figs. 1 to 18, 14 to 16, and in the modifications shown in Figs. 21 to 25 and in the modification shown in Figs. 21, 26 to 29, the wall of the opening is spaced from the 'locking member when locked in the direction in which the lever is movable in shifting from neutral to reverse position and from reverse position to neutral, thereby enabling the operator of thecar to throw the shifting lever into reverse position from neutra position when the car is parked on a hill or incline, or from reverse to neutral when it is desired to push the car from onefposition to another, all without unlocking the transmission.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a transmission lever lock, the combination of a transmission lever having a ball, a housing having a head providing with said ball a fulcrum mounting for said lever, means to limit the movement of said lever to a transverse path and to forward and rearward extending paths leading from and disposed at substantially right angles to said transverse path, means t'o retain said ball in said socket and including a keeper-member, a cap rotatable with respect to said lever and enclosing said keeper-member, and means to position and prevent the rotation of said keeper member with respect to said lever.

2. The combination with a transmission lever lock, of a transmission lever locking sleeve slidable thereon longitudinally of said lever, yielding means normally tending to hold said sleeve in its uppermost position, means to lock said sleeve rigid and immovable with respect to said lever when said sleeve is in its lower position, a rigid housing member in which said lever is fulcrumed, means rigid with said housing member providing a keeper-opening for the lower end of said sleeve when said sleeve is in its lower position and said lever is in its reverse position, and providing an obstruction to the entry of said sleeve into said keeper opening when said lever is in any forward driving position. Y

3. The combination with a transmission lever,

said lever, yielding uppermost position, means to lock said sieeve rigid and immovable with respect to` said lever when said sleeve isV in its lower position, a rigid housing in which said lever is fulcrurned and means rigid with respect to said housing providing a keeper-opening for the reception of the lower end of said sleeve when said sleeve is in its lower position and when said lever is in its-reverse position and when said lever is in its neutra position, and to preclude the entry of said sleeve into said opening when said lever is in any forward driving position.

4. The combination with a transmission lever, of a transmission lever locking sleeve slidable thereon longitudinally Y of said lever, yielding means normally tending to hold said sleeve in its uppermost position, means to lock said sleeve rigid and immovable with respect to said lever when said sleeve is in its lower position, a rigid housing in which said lever is fulcrumed and means rigid with' said housing providing a keeper-opening for the reception of the lower end of said sleeve when said sleeve is in its lower position and said lever is in its reverse position and when said lever is'in its neutra position and operative to prevent said lever from being moved into any forwardly driving position so long as said sleeve is in its said lower position. Y

5. In a transmission lever lock, the comb-ina.- tion of a housing providing a socket, a transmission lever provided with a ball fitting said socket, means to limit the movement of said lever to a lateral path and to forward and rearward paths, parallel to each other, and leading from said lateral path and at right angles thereto, a keeper-member, means to position and maintain said keeper-member in correct and proper relationship with respect to said housing andV lever,

and comprising a ring-like member provided with means to prevent the axial rotation of said ring with respect to said lever and withimeans to prevent the axial rotation of said ring with respect to said keeper-member, and means to retain said ball in said socket including a cap enclosing said keeper-member and operative to firmly clamp= said keeper-member and said ring-like member between said cap and said housing. Y

6. In a transmission lever lock, the combination of a transmission lever having a ball member with a slot in the surface thereof in the plane of the axis of said lever, a housing providing a socket for the reception of said ball member, means'to limit the movement of said lever to a transverse neutral path and to forward and rearward gear changingl paths, leading from said neutral path, a ring-like member seated on said housing having a head Vfitting said slot in said ball, a keeper-member seated on said ring-like member, means to properly position said keeper-member on said ring, and to prevent axial movement of said keeper-member with respect to said ring, and

means to retain said'ball in said socket, including a cap axially rotatable with respect to said lever and enclosing said keeper-member and having a screwthreaded connection with said housing.y

7. In a transmission lever lock, the combination of a transmission lever having a ball member with a slot in the surface thereof in the plane of the axis of said lever, a housing providing a socket for the reception of said ball member, means to limit the movement of said lever to a transverse neutral vpath and to forward and rearward gear changing paths, leading from said neutral path,

,a ring-like member seated on said housing having VioV a head .tting saidY slot'in said ball, a keeper- Vmember seatedron saidring-like member, means to properly position said keeper-member on said ring, andto prevent axial movement of `said keeper-member with respect to 'said' ring, andA means to retain saidball in said socket, including a Ycap axially rotatable with Vrespect tosaid lever fand enclosing said Akeeper#member Vand having a serewthreaded connectionY withsaid housingY and operative to y'clamp said keeper-'member and said ring-like member between said cap and said hous- Yine. Y

8. In a transmission leverlock,rthe combination with a transmission lever member and a hous- Vingmember in which said lever is fulcrumed, of a V-locking element cooperating with saidlever and movable into locked and into unlocked positions, oneof said members having means presenting an `obstructiontothe movement of said locking element to locked position when'and so long as, said lever is in any forward driving position; present- 'ing an obstruction tothevmovement of saidlever to any forward driving position when and so long Vas lsaid locking element is in locked position, and Y presenting no obstruction tothe free movement of said locking element into and out of locked position when'said lever is in reverse operating position. v

9. In atransmission leverlockthe combination kwith a transmission lever; member and a housing member in Ywhich said lever `is fulcrumed, ofra vlocking element coacting with said lever and mov- Y "able into locked and unlocked positions, one of said into and out of locked position when said lever lis,V Yin reverse position and when said lever is in fneutral position.V

' Vv45 Y 10. In a transmission lever lock, the combina-V members having means presenting an obstruction to the movement of said locking element to looked position when and so longas said lever is `in anyV forward driving position; presenting an obstruction to the movement of said lever to any forward driving position when and so longas said element is in locked position, and presenting no obstruction to the free movement off said locking element tion with a transmission lever member and a housing member in which said leveris fulcrumed, of a locking element coa-cting with said lever andtmovable into locked andrunlocked positions, one of said members having means presenting an obstruction to the movement of saidlocking element to locked `position when and so longas said lever is in any `forward driving position; presenting an obstruction to the movement of said lever toany Aforward driving position when and so long assaid element is in locked position, and to Vpresent no obstruction to thefreenmovement of said 'element into andV out Yoflocked position whensaid lever is in .re-

' verse? operating position and when said lever is in neutral position and presentingV no obstruction to Ythe free movement of saidlever intoand between reverse and neutral positions when and so long as said element is in locked position.

11. The combination with a transmission lever,

of Va transmission lever locking member mounted on said.lever,a housing providing a fulcrum for Y Y said lever,` means to prevent the axial rotationof V 'said lever with respect to' said housing, a keeper member having a keeper opening surrounding said Vlever, means to properlypo'siton said keeper opening withrrespect tosaid lever Yand housing to pref vent the rotary movement of said keeper with respect to said lever, and a cap surrounding said lever and forming arclosure for said housingrand co- `when said lever member is in neutral position .the Vwall ofsaid receptacle being in the path of Vmerits being mounted on said lever and the other Y of said elements being mounted on said housing,

operating with said keeper member to maintain said lever mounted on said fulcrum. Y 12. In a transmission lever lock, the -combination with two members comprising a `transmise sion lever and a housing in which said lever is 5 fulcrumed, of a locking element mounted on one o said members and relatively movable into and i out of an opening in the other of saidV membersY when said lever isr in certain of its normal operat` ing positions, one of said members extending :across the path of the movement of said locking Y element, when unlocked, and preventing theinsertion'of said lockingelement into said opening when said lever is infany forwardly drivingtposil tion, said locking element'being in alinement with and relatively insertablerinto .the space between said transmission lever member and the wall ofy said opening when said lever member is in neu-V tral position and when it is in reverseposition.V

13. In a transmission lever lock,` thecombina` and into .which it projects, Vof a lockingV element Vmounted on one of said members and movable into and out of anV opening in the other of .said meni- 25 bers'when said lever is in certain of its normal operating positions; said other member extending across the path of the movement of the locking elef` ment, when unlocked, and Vpreventing the insertion of said locking element into saidopening mission lever memberand the wall `of said opening and when said lever is in reverse position, saidf locking element when locked, abutting against the I Y I wall. of saidopening in the'direotionrin which saidi e lever member is movable in `Vshifting `fromifneutral? position into any forwardly drivingpositionf and spaced from the wall of said opening in those directions in which said lever member'is Vmovable in shifting into and between neutralA position and reverse position. Y l Y Y 14. The combination with a transmission lever locking element and a housing ,providing a. fulcrum for said lever, of amembery associated with i said housing and forming 'a receptacle for saidY j Y element when said element is Vin locked position,`v

tion with a transmission lever and a housing in Y Vwhich said lever is fulcrumed, of a locking erlement and aY keeper element providing an opening therein surrounding saidjlever, one of said ele'- one of said elementsbeing movableY into locked and unlocked positionsand the other of said elements being stationary with respect to the other l f i element, the opening in said keeper elementbeing 70 in substantial alinement with said movable'element when said lever is in its neutral and is sin its reverse positions to permit Yof the relative',`

movement of said movableelement into and out of locked position within said opening. the wall 75 1 tion with two members comprising a transmission` lever'and a housing on-which the lever is'mounted :ao` Y when said lever is in any forwardly driving posi-V tion, said looking element being in alinement with and insertable into the spacebetween said transof said opening being in substantial abutment against said movable element, when locked, in the direction in which said lever is movable in shifting from neutra to any forward driving position.

16. In a transmission lever lock, the combination with a transmission lever and a housing in which said lever is fulcrumed, of a locking element and a keeper element providing an opening therein surrounding said lever, one of said elements being mounted on said lever and the other of said elements being mounted on said housing, one of said elements being movable into locked and unlocked positions and the other of said elements being stationary with respect to the other element, the opening in said keeper element being in substantial alinement with said movable element when said lever is in its neutral and is in its reverse positions to permit of the relative movement of said movable element into and out of locked position within said opening, the Wall of said opening being in substantial abutment against said movable element, when locked, in the direction in which said lever is movable in shifting from neutral to any forward driving position, and spaced from said movable element in the direction in which said lever is movable in shifting to, from and between neutral and reverse positions to present no obstruction to the free movement of said lever into, from and between neutral and reverse positions, when said movable element is locked.

17. In a transmission lever lock, the combination with two members comprising a transmission lever and a housing in which said lever is fulcrumed, of a movable locking element mounted on one of said members and a stationary rigid locking element mounted on the other of said members, one of said elements providing an opening surrounding said lever and the other of said elements being in alinement with and relatively insertable into the space between said lever and the wall of said opening when said lever is in Y neutral" and is in reverse positions, and noninsertable into said space when said lever is in Y any forwardly driving position, said insertable member when inserted into said space substantially abutting against the wall of said opening in the direction in which said lever Vis movable in shifting from neutral to any forward driving position, said wall of said opening being spaced from said insertable element, when inserted, in

Vthe direction in which said lever is movable in said locking lever, when unlocked, being in alinement with and movable into and out of the space between said lever and the wall of said keeper opening when said lever is in neutral and when it is in reverse positions, said locking member being out of alinement with and non-insertable into said opening when said lever is in any forward driving position.

WILSON HEMINGWAY, JR. JOHN WHYTE. 

